America’s Farmers Grow Communities Program to Give $2,500 Awards in 1,201 Counties
Nationwide and Benefit Local United Way Chapters with Each Sign‐Up
BOONE, IOWA (Aug. 31, 2010) – Today the Monsanto Fund announced the nationwide
launch of the America’s Farmers Grow CommunitiesSM program at the Farm Progress Show, the
nation’s largest outdoor farm event, in Boone, Iowa. This program gives eligible farmers the
opportunity to win $2,500 for their community. America’s Farmers Grow CommunitiesSM is
being offered in 1,201 counties across 38 states. Eligible farmers can sign up today through
Dec. 31, 2010 at www.growcommunities.com or by calling 1. 877.267.3332.
“More than 95 percent of the land in the United States is home to a rural community,
and farmers work hard to support those communities,” said Brett Begemann, Monsanto Fund
Chairman. “We created the America’s Farmers Grow Communities program to celebrate that
hard work. Every rural community has vital needs. It’s our goal for each $2,500 award to
support rural community needs and cause a ripple effect of benefits along the way.”
The program is intended to benefit nonprofit community groups such as ag youth
organizations, schools, fire departments and other civic groups important to America’s farmers.
It the program’s initial year, farmers in ten states helped grow their communities.
“A donation of $2,500 could help a community garden buy thousands of seeds, or help a
school buy new computers,” said John Raines, Vice President of Customer Advocacy for
Monsanto. “It takes just a few minutes for a farmer to sign up online for a chance to really
benefit an organization that’s important to them, and more importantly, benefit their friends,
family and neighbors as a result of that donation.”
Monsanto Fund also will donate $1 to the United Way on behalf of each farmer who
signs up for the America’s Farmers Grow Communities program. The $1 will be donated to the
United Way chapter in the home county of the farmer. This offers yet another way for farmers
to invest in the future of their rural community.
Farmers can apply online at www.growcommunities.com or they can call
1.877.267.3332 to apply by phone. Farmers, age 21 and over, who are actively engaged in
farming a minimum of 250 acres of corn, soybeans and/or cotton, or 40 acres of open field
RELEASE Immediately
CONTACTS Gayla Daugherty, Monsanto Community Outreach Mgr., 314/694‐6229
Mimi Ricketts, Monsanto Public Affairs, 314/694‐5703
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vegetables, or at least 10 acres of tomatoes, peppers and/or cucumbers grown in protected
culture, are eligible. The application period runs September 1 through December 31, 2010. The
program is open to all qualifying farmers, and no purchase is necessary in order to enter or win.
One winner will be drawn from each of the 1,201 participating counties. Monsanto Fund will
announce winning farmers and recipient organizations in January 2011.
States with eligible counties include Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado,
Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland,
Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York,
North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota,
Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
Visit www.growcommunities.com to sign up and to learn more about the America’s
Farmers Grow Communities program. The project is part of a broad commitment by Monsanto
Fund to invest in farm communities, in order to highlight the important contributions farmers
make every day to our society. To obtain a copy of the official rules for this program, visit
www.growcommunities.com or send a written request to Jane Winburn, 914 Spruce St., St.
Louis, MO 63102.